Vacuum-pump.



J. J. BROWN.

VACUUM PUMP.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 2s. I9I4.

Patented May 23,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Llfggil.

THB COLUMBIA PLANGGRAPH ,co WASHINGTON. n. C.

J. J. BROWN.

VACUUM PUMP.

APPLICATION FILED 06123, 1914.

Patented May 23,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES WM W TMI: COLUMBIA IILANoGRAI'II cu', WASHINGTON. n. c.

JOHN J. BROWN, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

VACUUM-PUMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 23, 1916.

Application filed October 23, 1914. Serial No. 868,201.

To all-whom t may concern:

Beit known that I, J oHN J. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented an Improvement in Vacuum-Pumps, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to vacuum pumps, and air compressors, and more particularly to that type of such apparatus in which a rotary impeller is employed to inject a liquid in streams into suitably disposed passages in a stationary diffuser, the

liquid from the impeller passing through an air space between the same and the diuser and entrapping air in the passages of the diffuser, and carrying, compressing and forcing the same therethrough, so thatthe liquid4 and air areejected into a common chamber, from which they are discharged.

Now, the object of myV invention is to materially increase the efficiency of a pump or compressor, ofthe type to which my invention relates, by employing a plurality or series of sets of impellers and diffusers, and providing means intermediate of each set of impellers and diffusers for properly separating the liquid from the air and passing each, independently of the other, to the next set of impellers and'diffusers, thereby decreasing the number of compressions per stage of the air and correspondingly increasing the efficiency of the apparatus, which, in reality, is one having a multiplicity of stages or operations, as will be hereinafter more particularly described.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a central vertical cross section and partial elevation of a vacuum pump or air compressor constructed in accordance with my invention and Fig. 2 is a cross section on line 2, 2, Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, 10 indicates the base upon which the pump is set. The pump preferably comprises a casing or body member 11, provided with interior walls, indicated at 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19, in order that, with other parts hereinafter described, the interior of the casing may be provided with the several chambers or compartments, indicated, respectively, at 20, 20', 21, 21, 22, and 23, the wall 14 being provided with a port or aperture 24, the purpose of which will be hereinafter set forth, and the wall 18 terminating an appreciable distance from the adjacent inner surface of the outer wall of the casing, in order to provide a passage 25, the purpose of which will also hereinafter appear.

At the right hand side ofthe pump, as shown inV Fig. 1, I employ a diffuser member 26, which may be suitably attached to the walls of the casing by stud bolts or otherwise. This diffuser' member is provided with channels or passages 27, which preferably converge from their inner to their outer extremities and run at an angle, depending upon the velocity and path of the liquid leaving the impeller. Also attached to the outer wall of the casing, and on the same side of the pump as viewed in Fig. 1, I employ a diffuser member 28. This diffuser member 28, as illustrated, in certain portions thereof is 'secured to thediuser member 26, and interlocks with a portion thereof, in order to complete the outer portions of the passages 27, or as will be understood these members may be made in one piece. Similarly, onV the opposite side of the pump, as viewed in Fig. 1, I employ a diffuser meinber-29, suitably secured to the outer walls of the pump and provided with channels 30, similar in all respects tol those hereinbefore'described in the diffuser 26.

Associated with the diffuser 29, and suitably connected thereto, as illustrated, is a diffuser member 31, similar to the diffuser member 28. y

At the right'hand side of the pump, as shown in Fig. l, I employ a rotary impeller 32. `This is provided with suitably shaped channels or curved passages 33, and on opposite sides of the impeller are series ofA circular ribs 34, adapted to be received within the circular recesses between similar ribs 35, placed on the adjacent parts of the body of the diuser member 26, and a ring joint member 54, these interlocking ribs forming a suitably tight joint to prevent leakage between the rotary and the stationary parts of the pump at this point. The impeller 32 is suitably secured on a shaft 36, being keyed thereto, or otherwise, and maintained in position longitudinally ofthe shaft by a sleeve 37 and a nut 38, the nut being turned down on a threaded portion of the reduced end of the shaft, and the sleeve extending between the impeller 32 and asimilar impeller 40, also fiXed on the shaft at the other side of the casing, the impeller 32 being provided with suitable admission ports 39, making communication between the liquid admission chamber and the channels 33 in the impelle The impeller 40 is similar in all respects to the impeller 32, and is similarly associated with the diffuser member 29 and the diifuser member 31. The channels or passages in the impeller 40 are indicated at 41, and the circular ribs on the body thereof at 42, While the corresponding ribs on a ring joint member 55 are indicated at 43, and the admission ports to the channels in the impeller 40 are indicated at 44.

On the right hand side of the pump, as indicated in Fig. 1, I employ a member 45, containing liquid and air inlets. This member is provided with a nozzle 46 for the air inlet, and a nozzle 47 for the liquid or Water inlet. Between the periphery of the impeller and the inlet to the passages in the diffuser, there is an annular space, indicated at 48, and the chamber Within the air inlet nozzle 46 communicates with this annular space 48, While the chamber Within the inlet nozzle 47 communicates directly with the ports 39 leading to the channels in the impeller.

The shaft 86, at one end, passes through the inlet connection member and is suitably journaled in the bearing 49, While at the other side of the pump the shaft 36 is also journaled in asuitable bearing 50.

5l indicates a pump head attached to the left hand side of the pump, as indicated in F ig. 1, covering the central portions of the diffuser member 31 and the impeller, and litted with a suitable stalling boX 52, to prevent leakage around the shaft at this point, and also, on this side of the pump, is the final discharge nozzle, which is indicated at 53.

In the operation of the hereinbefore described vacuum pump, or air compressor,-

the Water or other liquid is admitted through the nozzle 47 and into the channels in the impeller 32 through the ports 39, and air is admitted through the nozzle 46 into the annular space 48, between the periphery of the impeller and the inlets to the passage- Ways in the diffuser 28. As will be understood, and as is customary in vacuum pumps and compressors of this type, the liquid is ejected from the channels in the impeller across `the annular air space 48, and into the passages in the diffuser, thereby entrapping quantities of air, which are admitted to the passages in the diffuser, forcing the entrapped air through the passages in the diffuser and discharging the same, together with the Water, into the discharge chamber 20, in the casing of the pump, and thence through the port 19 into the separating chambers 20 and 21. From the chamber 21 the Water is permitted to pass into the liquid supply chamber 21', which is in direct communication with the chamber 21, .through ports 56, and the air to pass through the passage-Way 25 over the partition Wall 18 into the gas supply chamber 22. The Water from the chamber 21 is then conveyed through the ports 44 into the channels in the impeller 40, While the air in the chamber 22 has free access to the annular space 48 between the periphery of the impeller 40 and the inlets to passages in its diffuser, so that the operation of entrapping, compressing, and discharging the air is repeated by the impeller 40 and its diffuser, and the air and Water are discharged into the chamber 23, which communicates directly With the discharge nozzle 53. In order to provide for the return to the `chamber 20 of any air which may possibly pass into the chambers 21 and 21, a vent or aperture 24 is provided in the Wall 14, through which, as Will be apparent, any such air or other gas may escape from the chamber 21 and be returned to the chamber 20', rising through the liquid therein and escaping With the other air above this liquid to the chamber 22.

In the foregoing description, I have referred to a liquid and air, it being understood that Water is commonly employed in pumps of this description, although other liquids, for various purposes, may be used, and While air also is commonly employed as the gas in the use of pumps and compressors of this description, any gas may be as readily handled by the apparatus. It Will also be understood that while I have herein shown and described what I am pleased to term a two-stage vacuumpump or air compressor, any number of sets of impellers and diifusers may be employed Without departing from the nature and spirit of my invention.

I c-laim as my invention:

1. A multiple stage vacuum pump unit comprising a casing, a plurality of impellers and associated dilfusers and Walls Within the casing dividing the same into compartments, into one of which the liquid and gas are delivered from one impeller and its diffuser and passed to another compartment wherein they are permitted to separate and are caused to pass independently to the next succeeding impeller and its diffuser.

2. A multiple stage vacuum pump unit, comprising a casing, a plurality of impellers and associated diifusers therein, and Walls next di'user, there being provided a port in the Wall dividing the separating cham- 15 bers and the liquid supply chambers in order that any gas Which might find its Way with the liquid to the lower part of a separating chamber and into said liquid supply chamber and thus may escape to the corre- 20 spending gas supply chamber.

Signed by me this 19 day of October, 1914.

JNO. J. BROWN. Witnesses:

J. B. LE BLANC, BERTHA M. ALLEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, D. 0." 

